


Dull Diamond

by ILikeCookiesLoads



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Off Colors, Prisoners, Slight torture, kidnap, parental diamonds, secrets being revealed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-05-10 05:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14731013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ILikeCookiesLoads/pseuds/ILikeCookiesLoads
Summary: When Steven finds himself once more on homeworld, this time he knows exactly what happened, what he doesn't know, is how the diamonds will take the information, or weather he should give it to them at all.Everything is so confusing, and Steven just wants to go home, be a kid, or at the very least, he wants to get out of this stupid chains.





	1. How did this happen?

How did this happen?  
Steven sat in the small cell. Back against the wall, legs chained together, hands laying on his knees also chained.  
Steven knew this was his fault.  
It always was his fault.  
Everything was.  
At least it was the fault of his gem, of the diamond who had stood before he even existed.  
What was no the fault of Steven directly, was the fault of Pink Diamond who abandoned her people, or the fault of Rose Quarts who chose to rebel rather than seek out peace.  
Steven flinched at the thought.  
He had managed to get himself captured again. And he was not the only one.  
He knew that just down the hall, Lars, the pink human he had bought back to life, and his team, the off-colors, were also locked away.  
Steven had been visiting them, it was just meant to be a quick visit, to deliver some gifts, earth food and some toys to play with. But then someone who shouldn't have saw Steven, better known as Rose Quarts to homeworld, better known as a murderer. Well, suddenly the small army became a big one, and it was only by handing himself in and promising new information, that Steven managed to keep the others from being shattered instantly.  
Of course, security was much higher, making escape chances low. The fact that the Crystal Gems had no idea where he was, also reduced the chance of a rescue.  
The boy groaned, wishing he had been more careful.  
The boy groaned, wishing he had never been born.  
If what happened to him could even be called being born.  
The trail had already been held last time, and it seemed this time he would merely be bought before them for questioning. And he didn't know what to say.  
He knew what they wanted to know, he knew how Pink Diamond had been "shattered".  
But could he tell them? If he did, would they believe him?  
He felt tears filling his eyes and tried to hold them back, he needed to be brave, for the sake of the Earth and all gem kind. He needed to hold it together and remind himself, he was Steven Universe, he was Rose Quarts, leader of the rebellion, and apparently he was also Pink Diamond. The youngest of the Diamond Court.  
Not that he had any power within it. Just a gem stone and some confusing powers.  
Steven finally broke down in tears.  
"Hey, don't do that," a familiar voice spoke from outside the cell.  
Steven looked up, "Topaz..." he tried to move closer to the cell door, but couldn't with the chains.  
The Topaz looked in either direction, before whispering, "I'm not allowed to talk to you, I shouldn't have been placed guarding you but because Aquamarine never said anything..."  
Steven smiled, "I'm so glad to see you're still okay."  
Topaz smiled, "I can't say the same, for your sake I hoped to never see you again."  
Steven gave a small laugh before frowning and nodding, "I got myself in a tight spot this time..."  
Topaz nodded, "I'm sorry, I can't help you."  
"I know, I don't want anybody risking their safety for mine, I'd rather you stay safe... or you two?" Steven tilted his head.  
Topaz smiled, "both of us."  
Steven smiled and nodded, "Garnet would love you."  
"Whom?"  
Steven shook his head, feeling a little better, "nobody," he opened his mouth to say something else when the sound of a door opening at the end of the hall got Topaz to stand straight, silent. And Steven to sit back.  
An amethyst came in, "I am here to take you to the Diamonds."  
Steven nodded, standing up as best he could as the Amethyst came into the cell, separating the chains from the wall, but not fully freeing Steven.  
The walk was silent, the big double doors opened, and Steven could not help but gasp as he entered the big room, because between the two diamonds he already knew, stood an even large one, who looked more disinterested than anything, White Diamond. Steven looked down, and took a deep breath. He could do this.  
"Rose Quarts," Yellow Diamond practically spat, "we have some questions for you... and once we have the information we want well, you can start wishing to be shattered, because we have though of the perfect punishment for you."  
Steven swallowed, trying not to show his nerve, closing his eyes, he had gotten out of situations like this before, he could do this again, panicking would do him no good.


	2. Any means necesary

Blue Diamond, who Steven had seen as an emotional wreck, not that she knew that, now looked much more like the Diamond Steven had seen in a dream-memory, not that long ago. She looked serious, she hid her anger better than Yellow, but it was definitely present. Unlike Yellow though, there was also signs of curiosity, she wanted to know exactly what happened to Pink, how it happened, where?   
"I want you to explain exactly what happened to Pink Diamond?"   
"Um..." Steven looked around, it was the moment of deciding, does he lie, say he shattered her with his sword and be though with it, or tell the truth, even if they would not believe him, "last time I told you... that I shattered her... with my sword. But... that wasn't entirely true."   
"You admit to having lied to use in the past?" Yellow shouted.   
"Um..." Steven looked down, "not exactly," he wished for a lawyer like last time, he wondered what happened to his lawyer, had he perhaps been shattered for speaking up to the diamonds or...?   
"Well, explain yourself!" Yellow demanded.   
White was yet to say a word, watching silently as the boy looked around nervously, searching for an escape route, although with Lars and the off-colors locked away he couldn't use it even if he did find one, "I..." Steven took a deep breath, "I told you what I thought was true because... I can't remember the event and it is what I was told."   
"You... don't remember!?" suddenly Yellow was on her feet, hands reaching out for Steven, probably intending to cause harm.   
Steven closed his eyes tight, lowered his head. When nothing happened, he cautiously looked up, to see White holding back the rage that was Yellow, her demeanor still calm, still one hundred per cent chill, "Yellow," her voice sounded like music, "rage will not solve anything."   
Yellow pulled away and sat back down, "continue," she groaned.   
"I... I don't remember because I wasn't there," Steven decided to start with the beginning, with his own beginning, "Rose... she loved humanity."   
"You are rose," Blue glared.   
"Kind of..." Steven stood up, "I have the same gem as Rose. But... but I'm not her, I would never want to be her."   
"Explain yourself."   
"Rose, loved humanity so much, she wanted... she fell in love with one, my father, and together, they made me..."   
"What?"   
"I know it's confusing... I don't really understand it either. But, I'm like, I'm her, because I have her gem, but I'm also human, I need this form," he held out his hands, looking up at the Diamonds, to see there reaction.   
And there was none, White didn't move a muscle, she stood there as if nothing had happened, as if nothing unusual had been said, Blue's eyes were a bit wide, but she clearly did not understand, Yellow looked like she was still holding back her own rage.   
"Everything I knew about Rose and Pink Diamond... I was told by others, and believed it. But recently I discovered something new about... about them."   
"Then spit it out!" Yellow slammed her fist against her chair and Steven flinched.   
"Rose... Rose was Pink Diamond."   
Steven expected outrage, expected shouting, accusations of lies. But instead he was met with silence, he looked up, and there seemed to be a state of shock coming from all four, even White had her mouth slightly open as she eyes the half gem, half human.   
"So you're saying... that as the holder of her gem, you're in consequence, Pink Diamond?" Blue asked, standing calmly.   
Steven understood that it sounded about as likely as Greg being a millionaire... but...   
Yellow banged her fist down again, "how can you stand there and say such a thing! You're gem isn't even-"  
"It's flipped!"   
"What?" White, asked this question.   
"It's turned, ninety degrees, so you see the bottom of it."   
"Then," Blue crossed her arms, "turn it back around."   
Steven bit his lip, "I..." the boy sat down, "I don't know how... I know she did it but I'm... not as flexible."   
"Not as flexible?!" the diamond laughed, not like she found it funny, but a cold laugh, like the color she represented.   
"I can stretch but can't really change form entirely... I'm..." Steven felt ill, felt himself falling apart at the eyes of the three huge beings, he closed his eyes.   
"You're a liar, you killed Pink Diamond," Blue was holding back tears, "and now you want to take her place?" she turned around, "I'm done here."   
"Clearly she isn't ready to give us the information we desire," Yellow pointed out, intending to have the gem tortured for perhaps a few hundred years.   
White, she was hesitant though, she remembered pinks gem and had to admit, it could definitely pass as a Quartz with the right position, and the color matched.   
"What powers do you have?"   
"I have a shield as a weapon, I can float, heal cracked gems, I um... sometimes have weird dreams where I see other's peoples stuff or... or I even take over their mind..." Steven frowned, still not understanding those powers, "I've been trying to heal corrupted gems but... it's much harder."   
White nodded, "not a very quartz like power range."   
Blue frowned, "My Diamond, you can't possibly believe that-"   
White raised a hand, silencing the other Diamond instantly, "I know it seems unlikely but... Pink was always getting into trouble and perhaps, perhaps this is just her most recent bit of trouble," she knelt down in front of the gem, "what is it that you call yourself, half human, half gem?"   
"Steven," the boy responded with hesitance.   
"Steven?" the Diamond winkled her nose, but decided against commenting on the tasteless title, "I want him tested, find out what he is through any means necessary," she ordered the guards, who nodded, taking hold of Steven.   
Steven swallowed, any means necessary did not sound good for him. He hoped by all means this wasn't as hard as it sounded.


	3. Hardness and Durability

Steven was in a lab, or at least that was how he could best think to describe the place. He lay on a cold metal table, chains to it securely. His gemstone was exposed, his t-shirt pulled up for easier access. Steven struggled, the guards who stood at the door, Jaspers? took no notice.   
Steven groaned as he gave in, it was no use, whatever the chains were made of were past him, even with his increased strength. This shouldn't be surprising with gem technology so advanced. So he waited, until eventually some gems he had never seen came in. They were shiny and metallic.   
"What you doing?" Steven asked, as the gem moved to grabbed tools.   
They ignored him.   
When they came back, with a tool and a box, Steven felt like throwing up as the box was opened. Gem shards. So many of them... different colors and transparencies. A green one was placed in the tool, and then placed over Steven's gem.   
"Please stop!"   
The machine moved, scratching the gem against Steven's own gem. It lifted, there was no scratch, the gem was changed.   
Steven struggled, seeing shattered gems, used as just a tool for identifying other gems. It did no good. And this went on for hours on end. None of the gems left any mark on Steven's gem. Proof that Steven was no mere quartz. But as he cried, occasionally struggling pointlessly, he definitely looked nothing like a Diamond.   
A familiar gem walked into the lab, Aquamarina, Steven figured it was the same one due to having the same gem placement, a tear drop under the eye, "have you figured it out yet?" she asked twirling around the lab, "my Diamond sent me, said she wanted to know."   
One of the gems who had been scratching away at Steven's gem nodded, "none of the gems scratch it," the responded simply, "it can't be a quartz."   
"Hm," Aquamarine moved over, smiling down at Steven, "hello again, Rose."   
Steven turned his head to not look at the gem, but she didn't care.   
"What your saying is... that it could be a Diamond?" Aquamarine looked thoughtful, "well, this might actually be interesting then," she laughed.   
"Um... well, we wouldn't say for certain but, we have not found evidence to say otherwise either."   
Aquamarine nodded, "you will keep doing tests?"   
"No, not until we have Diamond authorization, any other tests could be potentially dangerous."   
"Understood, well I'll go tell them immediately and send someone with instructions."   
The sciency gems nodded, as Aquamarine left.   
Steven took in a deep breath of relief as she left, not that Aquamarine had technically ever hurt him directly, he just didn't like her.   
Some time passed, then Topaz came to return Steven to his cell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, really short, I've got a lot of on and off work so can't really do good long chapters, will try to get one out though soon.


	4. Thirsty

Steven fell asleep once he got to his cell, instantly, Topaz lay the kid down on the floor and he closed his eyes and slept. Topaz hesitated, but left the cell, locking it securely and placing herself in front of it. Probably the worst guard but... Aquamarine knew for as much as Topaz hated this, she would not release Steven, out of fear of separation. So Topaz did her function, watching her prisoner.   
"T-Topaz?" it had been many hours and Steven crawled over to the bars to look at his guard.   
"Yes, Steven?" the guard looked down softly at her.   
"I'm thirsty..." he whispered, hugging his legs how he could between the chains.   
"I don't know what that means..." Topaz frowned, not needing water herself.   
"It's a human thing," Lars spoke from inside his own cell, "humans needs to drink water to survive... it's really common on earth."   
Topaz frowned, looking down at Steven, he looked really sad, "but we don't have that here..." Topaz pointed out.   
Lars nodded, "you're right. But Steven can't survive without it," the boy glared, before softening his look, he remembered this gem and how she wanted to help them escape, "I don't have a solution."   
Topaz looked back at Steven, the boy looked up at Topaz, as if waiting for her to find a solution, and the gem knew she had to do something, but what? She had no power, she had no right to make suggestions and did not want any trouble but... she couldn't just let the boy die. Not when he trusted her. Topaz decided she would speak to Aquamarine, after all, if Aquamarine let Topaz get away with almost releasing two important prisoners, she surely wouldn't punish the gem for the simple recommendation.   
Hours passed that Topaz knew she could not leave her spot and all she could do is promise Steven she would do what she could as soon as she could. 

Finally, the replacement guard came and Topaz was free to do as she wished. Usually, she would go to her room, her own personal space where she could do as she wished. Instead, she went in search of the smaller blue gem. She reached the building home to Aquamarines, knowing she could get in trouble for entering but not enough trouble to make her step back. She reached the door, the one door that represented all gems, and types in a familiar code. On a screen a familiar face appeared, with a raised eyebrow.   
"Topaz? What is it? I'm on my break, you're not allowed here."   
"I um..." Topaz looked down, "It's about the gem, the supposed Rose gem."   
"She's not a Quarts," Aquamarine corrected, "what about her? Don't tell me she escaped because if she did, nobody can keep you from getting shattered," Aquamarine spoke of it as if it were something normal.   
"No, no, I kept him trapped," the gem promised, "but... there thirsty."   
"Thirsty?" Aquamarine sighed, "and what is that?"   
"It's a human thing apparently, they need it to survive..."   
Aquamarine raised an eyebrow, but took in a deep breath, "I can't believe you came here and wasted my time with this," the small blue gem whined, the screen went black.   
Topaz closed her eyes, she should have known Aquamarine wouldn't care-  
The door opened, Aquamarine stepped out, "come with me," she ordered.   
Topaz followed, "um... I'm really sorry but-"   
"Whatever," Aquamarine frowned, "apologizes change nothing."   
"W-where are we going?"   
"To see the diamond," Aquamarine placed her hands behind her back, "this is a kind of personal matter to them and I cannot do anything without their permission."   
Topaz gulped, but took a deep breath, she had to trust in Aquamarine, even if it was most definitely a terrible idea to trust her, the gem was still the best Topaz had.   
Aquamarine knocked on the big door, where she knew her diamond was.   
"Enter," the familiar voice of Blue Diamond.   
The two gems entered, Topaz knelt down as far as she could, shaking with fear, Aquamarine gave a small curtsy but nothing as dramatic, "My Diamond," she greeted with a smile.   
"I though you were on break," the Diamond said with a small smile, she was quite fond of this particular gem, "what is it you come to tell me?"   
"Well, it's about your newest prisoner," the gem spoke hesitancy, turning back to Topaz, "this is the Topaz I worked with on Earth, and she had been guarding her, she came to be with information."   
Topaz looked up, "Lustrous Diamond," she took a deep breath, "the gem says he is thirsty, according to the other strange human it is a human thing where they requite water, a liquid found on Earth, to um... survive."   
"I see..." Blue turned to look at the wall.   
Aquamarine and Topaz stood in silence awaiting orders.   
"It's true, that Agate once explained it to me... Pink did a lot of work getting it for her humans," the gem frowned, "Aquamarine, do you believe it could be true? That this.. gem... is Pink?"   
Aquamarine frowned, "it's not impossible, of course, it had been confirmed that they are not a Quarts and if they are not a Quartz well... it's hard to say what it is."   
Blue nodded, "Topaz."  
"Yes?" Topaz looked up, "Um... Lustrous Diamond?"   
"Can you head over to the human zoo and ask Agate to give you some water, food and other supplies for keeping the human alive? I imagine they won't need the same care as those humans due to it's half nature but... we'd be better safe than sorry."   
Topaz nodded, "of course."   
"Aquamarine... accompany her, it will keep Agate in line... she can be rather..." Blue scrunched her nose, clearly no keen on the gem.   
Aquamarine smiled and nodded, "of course My Diamond, I shall return shortly." 

"I can't believe I'm spending my break driving you to the zoo to help some stupid prisoner," the high ranked gem groaned as she drove the ship.   
"I can drive?" Topaz offered.   
But Aquamarine waved her off, "I'd rather drive than just sit miserably in a corner, but you're taking the care for the human, as soon as we get back home I want my rest, understood?"   
"Of course, Aquamarine." 

Steven cuddled up into a small ball.   
"Steven," Lars reached out but of course could do nothing, "it's going to be fine, Topaz will find a way to... to..."   
"To what?" Steven mumbled, "we're done for... this time..."   
Lars took a deep breath, "come on Steven," the boy smiled, "don't say that! We'll get out of this, just like we always do."   
"Not this time," Steven pulled his legs close.   
"Come on... usually this is the opposite way around. You know I'm not good at this stuff!"   
Steven didn't respond. 

"Aquamarine," Agate greeted with a curtsy the gem, "what can I help you with?"   
"Blue Diamond sent me, I am here to pick up some supplies for a human prisoner we have back at homeworld."   
"A human prisoners?" Agate laughed, "that's impossible! Humans need such special care and-"   
"Shut it," Aquamarine groaned, "Agate I don't want to hear about it, you know I don't care for those creatures, I just want what I asked for."   
Agate closed her mouth and held back from glaring at the superior ranked gem, "of course, your Topaz can wait here."   
"No, she can't, she's coming with me," Aquamarine said simply following the Agate.   
Agate ordered the Amethyst beneath her to bring a long list of supplies and put them on the ship. Before printing of some instruction on human care that she handed to Aquamarine, the gem didn't take it, pointing to Topaz for Agate to hand it to her.   
Agate laughed, "you can't possibly expect a Topaz to understand any of this, it's highly technical stuff and-"   
"Again," Aquamarine flew up, "I don't want to hear it."   
Agate slowly handed the paper to Topaz who whispered a thank you, only to receive a glare in return.   
After that they left.   
"I hate this place," Aquamarine said, sitting down in the driving seat.   
"Aren't you going a bit fast?"   
"Not fast enough." 

Meanwhile, far away, the gems were just beginning to notice that, oh my god, Steven was taking an awfully long amount of time to come back and where the hell was Lion so they could go check on him?


	5. I'm sorry

Topaz arrived at the cell, carrying all sorts of stuff in her big arms. Aquamarine, despite her promise to leave stood by her side, if only to order the current guard to let Topaz pass and do as she must.  
Topaz was quick, entering the cell she pulled Steven over to the back corner where she wrapped him in one of the blankets.   
"Topaz?" the boy opened small eyes, when she handed him a glass of water he smiled, drinking it down quickly. Topaz then handed him some fruit and he ate that too. Quickly.   
"Better?" Topaz asked, handing him some more.   
The boy nodded eating and drinking more.   
Topaz smiled, "I'm so glad, I was worried," she then pulled out a cushion that she placed on the floor for him to sleep on, some 'human toys' and spare food, "I've got more water and food when you're finished, Agate said I should not give it to you all at once and portion it but... I think you're smarter than the other humans."   
"I think the other humans aren't allowed to be smart," Steven responded sitting up, "I've been in that zoo and it's stupid."   
Topaz tilted her head, but didn't question the boy, "I need to go now."   
Aquamarine tapped her foot impatiently.   
"I'll be back for guard duty later."   
"Thank you," Steven smiled up at the fusion who smiled back.   
"Come on," Aquamarine pointed to the door, "I still have some break time to enjoy and you have a whole ship to empty."   
Topaz nodded, following the small blue gem. 

Steven fell into a half sleep in the comfort of the cushion and blanket, occasionally reaching out for some water or a piece of small fruit. By the time the guards changed he was fully asleep, Topaz chose to let him rest, "how does sleep work?" Topaz asked Lars, who never slept.   
The pink human frowned, "I don't really know, humans get really tired and just need to do it to get better again."   
Topaz hesitated, "are you not human?"   
Lars shrugged, "I don't really know anymore, I was a human before but now... I don't need to eat or sleep very often like a normal human... and I'm Pink so... not to mention kind of dead," he laughed.   
"Dead?"  
"Like, the human version of shattered but... I came back afterwards."   
"Humans can do that?" Topaz's eyes widened.   
"No, just me."   
"Oh."   
"I can't answer your question cause I don't know the answer myself," he shrugged, "but I'm something, that's for sure."   
Topaz smiled and nodded, "and... do you still care about Steven as much as when I met you too?"   
Lars looked up at the big bright eyes of the gem, filled with hope and wonder, he smiled and nodded, "even more," he looked back to the kid that slept peacefully, "before we were friends, I guess but... not like now. He saves my life, even if he was part of the cause, he does a lot of stuff for others and, he taught me that I should do the same."   
"Go Lars!" Rhodonite shouted.   
This was the first time one of his crew has spoken since they arrived, they were clearly in shock by their capture, and even more so by the fact they hadn't been shattered yet. 

Steven woke up seeing Topaz bowing low, "yes, Blue Diamond," she opened up the cell.   
Steven quickly sat up, staring at the clearly to big to fit in the cell gem, but the enormous gem quickly shape shifted, becoming significantly smaller to fit inside, walking in, despite the smaller stature she looked no less threatening.   
Steven pulled himself against the wall, in fear, he had never felt as scared of the diamonds as he had this last few days.   
"It's fine, I did not come with the intention of harming you..." a cold look, "at least not this time."   
This didn't cause Steven to relax.   
"I came so you could tell me exactly, how Rose Quartz, who's gem you hold, yet is not a quartz, could possibly have been Pink?"   
Steven nodded, while still maintaining himself against the wall, "she took the form of Rose Quartz, and left with her Pearl to start the rebellion, she believed you would not listen to her desires of leaving Earth be, so she reached the conclusion that the solution was to shatter Pink Diamond, to do this, her Pearl took the form of Rose Quartz, and poofed Pink Diamond, the pieces of shattered gem they left, was just dirt Pink turn into shattered gem shards with her strength."   
"And could this be proven in any way?"   
"Well... Pearl remembered it but... memories can be fakes, the sword," Steven nodded, "the sword is the biggest piece of evidence, it can't shatter a gem, it's impossible, it was designed to be impossible."   
Blue nodded, "that would explain a lot of things... too many things in fact..."   
Steven closed his eyes tightly, this presence terrified him yet he felt he should talk, "I'm really sorry, for everything my mom put you through."   
Blue looked surprised.   
"I know... I know it's not fair, even if you do destroy planets, that you should have spent so long mourning the loss of Pink... and that you cared more for her than she believed."   
"How could you possibly know that?"   
"Well..." Steven looked down, "I kind of cried your tears this one time... um... you went to Earth and I had a dream, it was weird."   
Blue narrowed her eyes a bit, but did not respond, standing up straight she turned to leave, "I might return to speak to you later."   
Steven relaxed the moment the diamond was gone. 

"Keep up the good work," Blue praised Topaz.   
Who was absolute stunned, being praised was rare, but praised by a diamond, for such a low rank gem was completely unheard off, "t-t-thank you."


	6. Thoughts

Aquamarine sat on top of a tall building, she meant to return to her room but didn't feel like it, preferring the fresh air, as artificial as it was. She sat on the building, her legs waving and watching gems walk around, either working or returning to their room from work. The life of a gem was a hard life, breaks were small and were completely pointless. They serves no actual purpose other than to continue motivation. Aquamarine watched Topaz return from her guard on the half gem, knowing the two Topaz held a connection deeper than was allowed. Yet she could not bring herself to do anything about it, other than the occasional threat when she saw them becoming too obvious. Some people would argue that she did it for their safety though. Aquamarine would argue otherwise though.  
Aquamarine was a gem of high rank, one that had been around for far too long and was because of this easily bored. But she had to admit, this half-gem had caught her interest. It was different, never seen before. It wasn't immediately boring, although it did gross Aquamarine out a bit, humans in general grossed her out, they were squishy, warm, weak and most of all, different.  
It was perhaps the same reason Aquamarine spent so much time around Topaz, the connection Topaz had with... Topaz, was different, something Aquamarine, having no reason to fuse, had never felt. But Aquamarine knew she had to dial it down, if she spent so much time with this strange fusion, or around the strange gem, her diamond would suspect the gem was thinking outside of the box, something that was not particularly well seen on Homeworld, especially by Yellow, not that Yellow could do anything about Aquamarine, she belonged to Blue, and that's how she liked it.  
Aquamarine often felt pity for Topaz, Topaz and every other gem belonging to Yellow, the gem was unforgiving, making them fear for their existence every second they lived. The gem finally, ended her break, and returned to her work. 

The off-colors were all in separate cells. Well, kind of. 

Rutile Twins had a cell, but separating them was of course impossible. They had been pacing like mad, they were the more reasonable and perhaps optimistic of the bunch. They were trying their best to think of a plan but... no such luck. 

Padparadscha, sat in her own cell, silent. When she first arrived she had been saying nonsense every so often but... after a guard blew up at her, she had become silent. The other off-colors had been worried about her well-being. But they could do nothing to reach her, nothing but occasionally whisper encouraging phrases at her. 

Rhodonite, had somehow been left in her own cell also. They had tried to 'convince' her to defuse at first but... she exclaimed she would rather die and being much more interested in Steven, somehow she had been forgotten. 

Fluorite, had not been forgotten. But she was not separable, she had been poofed, but rather than fall apart into many gems, they had stuck together in a desperate attempt to avoid separation. Nobody had managed to separate her, so she sat in the center of the cell, a single joined together gem. 

Then there was Lars.

Lars, had once upon a time been a normal human, needing sleep, food and water. Now, he needed none of those stuff, and was certainly not a normal human. Instead, he was a captain, a pink captain, yet with a scar across his eye and his hair and earring, he looked threatening, combined with a crew that had nothing to lose and would obey his every order well... but right now, Lars was at the mercy of the Diamons, like his entire crew, and like Steven.   
Lars watched over the kid who lay in the cell just in front of his own. He watched how the kid, more human than himself, felt the cold, felt the lack of water or food. The kid, who had always been super brave, optimistic and strong. Lay, curled up in a small blanket holding back whimpers and sobs.   
Lars priorities were clear, escape. All of them, himself, his crew and his friend. Or at the very least, get to everyone else to Earth though his hair, and face the wrath of the Diamonds alone. He closed his eyes, missing his family, his friends, his home... Sadie. But he knew, if it came down to it, he would sacrifice himself for his crew, his new family. 

Topaz had managed to become the number one carer of Steven. It was rare for a Topaz to be given such an important job but... Aquamarine has assured Blue Diamond that the gem was capable and Aquamarine was a trusted high ranking gem. And besides, Steven was not normal, so it made sense that the person in charge of him perhaps not be the normal option either.   
Steven... it was the name of the strange human and not Rose Quartz fusion. Yellow of course refused to use it, instead referring to the kid as abomination. White, chose to call him a mere mystery. Blue, was the only person willing to use such a name. Even if she did minimize it's use in front of the other diamonds, she used it plenty when checking on the Topaz fusion and Steven. 

"Is everything going okay in here?"   
"Um, I think so," Topaz bowed, "I have been following all instructions given by Agate."   
"It's good," Steven mumbled from under the blankets.   
"Steven," Blue spoke, the name always sounded weird coming from her, "do you need anything?"   
"To go home."   
"This is homeworld, the home to all gems."   
No response.   
This happened often.   
Steven wanted to be grateful for Blue's interest, but... he wanted to go home. He wanted to hug Pearl and Garnet and Amethyst. He wanted to see his dad and Connie, Sadie, Onion, everyone. He began to cry again, Topaz would hug him and listen, it was Agate's suggestion but... it didn't work on Steven.


	7. Maybe...

"There is no way! It's a clear lie!" Yellow slammed her fist against the table.  
"Yellow," Blue whispered at a low volume, "the possibility is there."  
"No Blue, Pink is gone, has been for millennia, please stop clinging onto this false possibility because all it will do is hurt you!"  
White, raised a hand, "Yellow, Blue, neither of you are correct nor wrong."  
"For goodness sake White-"  
"Allow me to speak-"  
"No!" Yellow closed her eyes, "not this time! You never even met Pink Diamond in person, you have no right here!"  
Blue took a step back, White also looked shocked.  
Yellow realized what she had said, she moved to look down, "I'm sorry I-"  
"I see where you are coming from," White responded, getting her bearing back, "but, Yellow," the word was said almost as a threat, "I didn't need to meet Pink, I created her."  
"I'm sorry, My Diamond."  
"I should hope so," White responded, walking past Yellow, "you can return to your usual work, me and Blue will decide what happens here."  
Yellow clenched her fists, "I've been the most involved with Pink since the beginning," she complained.  
"I won't repeat myself."  
Yellow left.  
"White," Blue looked up sadly at the larger diamond, "I understand your upset, but Yellow means no wrong, she is merely emotional, she still misses Pink."  
"I don't see why, if she is still around."  
"You believe Steven then?"  
White raised an eyebrow at the strange name, but chose not to comment, "I don't know if it is the same gem, but the tests do not lie, the gem it holds is clearly a Diamons, and is clearly pink in color."  
"What does this mean?"  
White frowned, "that's what I'm trying to figure out, it can't take charge, it is half... human... not even pure. But to shatter a Diamond would be-"  
"I won't," Blue's eyes widened, "if that gem is Pink Diamond, in any way shape or form I... I will keep it."  
"This is not like the humans Pink kept as pets," White stepped forward, "this thing could possibly shatter you."  
"I'd be careful," Blue promised.  
White frowned, "we'll see, for now, I need to figure out more about this whole thing, is the thing okay in the cell?"  
"I've had a Topaz take charge of it's care."  
"A Topaz?" White shook her head, "whatever you think."  
Blue smiled and nodded, "I'm also keeping a close eye on it."  
"Good, I'll be calling you back here for another meeting soon... maybe I'll allow Yellow back in if she causes no more trouble."

Aquamarine sat on top of the ship, kicking her legs back and forth as the amethysts loaded the ship with all sort of water, food and other materials the human had already consumed. Nobody spoke, the amethysts maintained the typical silent professionalism, something Aquamarine recognized, Topaz was typically like that too, or at least had been. Recent missions had included at least the small amount of banter and honestly, Aquamarine preferred it. That isn't to say the silence annoyed her, she thanked Agate, if only as a formality, before climbing back into her ship.   
Where Topaz was doing work that should be for a higher up, Aquamarine found herself doing tasks that were clearly a waste of her time and rank. But she didn't mind. Because despite it's ease, it was not hugely time consuming and at least for the time being was new.   
Aquamarine landed the ship, and saw Topaz waiting. As the small gem stepped out they shared a rare smile as the bigger gem began unloading and Aquamarine headed towards her room to rest, not that she was in the slightest bit tired, in fact she was tempted to help Topaz unload but... far too strange, suspicious, attention drawing, and Aquamarine would not let herself get in any trouble just because she was bored. 

Steven was beginning to become impatient, he walked around, paced from left or right in his cell.   
Lars sat, crossed legs, watching him.   
"I highly doubt you're pacing will make escape any more possible."   
"I don't care," Steven continued to pace, "I need to move," the boy groaned and punched the wall, "this space, it's stressing me out."   
Lars nodded, he hadn't personally felt stressed out at all but... he had been living in a tiny little spacecraft so he had become slightly accustomed, "take a deep breath."   
Steven did as he was told.   
"Release it."   
Obedience, before falling into a sitting position.   
"Better?"   
A small nod. He looked up, "you've become really wise, Lars."   
The boy smiled, "side affect of being a captain I guess, having people you're responsible of."   
Steven smiled, leaning against the wall, "we have to get you guys out of here."   
"Us?"   
"Yeah... they'll shatter you, I mean, not you but-"   
"My crew, I know..."   
"Steven," it was Fluorite, "you must worry more for yourself now," her slow talking was causing a slight stress in the already stressed out kid.   
"But they don't seem to intend to harm me, at least not now."   
"For now," the Rutile Twins responded, "you said it Steven."   
"Oh, I really want out of here," Rhodonite exclaimed, before taking a deep breath, "but I also agree that Steven needs out first."   
Steven smiled, "thanks guys but..."  
"No buts," Lars shushed him, "you're going to get out of here, we are too, but you can't worry about us."   
"Steven will worry about us," Padspradacha, "but he shouldn't." 

Far, far, away.   
"Has anybody seen Steven?" Pearl asked as she checked beneath a cushion.   
"Yeah, like loads, I mean, his been living here since he was like a tiny baby Pearl, seriously how could we not have seen him?"   
"I mean," Pearl checked underneath the sofa, lifting it with one hand, "recently, like in this last few days."   
"Oh," Amethyst, who had been previously sitting on her head moved to sit up straight, "no, actually, but he wonders of all the time."   
Garnet, who was preparing Steven's lunch, looked over to the counter where she saw all the uneaten sandwiches, "he left to visit Lars, but hasn't come back yet."   
"I see," Pearl frowned, stopping her search, "you don't think anything could have happened?"   
Garnet, expression unreadable beneath her sunglasses, just frowned, "maybe..."


	8. Blue

Blue walked through the now familiar hall. Her eyes on a particular cell. It was probably for the best because every other person locked in cells was absolutely terrified of her.   
Steven, he was not terrified, he glared.   
"I bought you some human stuff..."   
"Human stuff?" Steven sat up, "you have no idea how humans work!"   
Blue didn't flinch, she didn't blink, she merely opened the cell and made herself smaller to enter, "I bought this, they are meant to entertain, apparently that is necessary in humans," and she pulled out some bouncy balls and cuddly toys.   
Steven glared at the objects.   
"I bought some nice food," she pulled out some fruit, "the humans in the zoo really enjoy it..."   
"I'm not hungry."   
Blue hesitated, "I went all the way to the base myself to pick it up."   
"Well, you wasted your time, aren't your Diamonds supposed to just do really important stuff?"   
Blue hesitated, sat down, "to me this is important," she explained.   
"Really?" the sarcasm was overflowing.   
Blue stood up straight and moved away from Steven, "I know... I know you won't understand but, Pink was everything to me, well not everything, Yellow means a lot to me too, and my Pearl but..."   
Said Pearl, who stood outside the cell near Topaz, peeked up just a bit.   
"Pink was mine, and I felt strong emotions towards her."   
Steven looked up, a bit surprised by the strong Diamonds speaking of this kind of stuff.   
"I lose someone I loved a lot and... and it was my fault, because when she told me about the rebellion I assured her it was safe, cause I believe it was. Now millennia afterwards, you tell me perhaps... in the slightest way she is... still here, well, whatever way she is here, is important to me."   
Steven looked down, "I already said it but... I'm really sorry for all the pain my mom caused you... she caused a lot of pain to a lot of people."   
"She was always rather brash... always got what she wanted... You are not like her, at least not in that sense."   
"I've lived a different life, I've grown up trying to fix what she broke..." Steven reached for one of the cuddly toys, pulling it close to hug it, "but I still share her believes in a way."   
"You do?"   
"Earth, it's my home, and I believe in the value of all life, not just the life of gem kind."   
Blue tilted her head, she had heard this argument from Pink before, but she has always supposed the gem was just immature and silly. But this kid was different.   
"I also believe in freedom, in the possibility that everyone can be anything."   
Blue shook her head, "you are weird... when we captured you, you were with several... abnormalities."   
Steven smiled, he turned to the cell in front of him where Lars was watching. And glaring at the Diamond, probably because he heard her referring to him as an abnormality.   
"Their not abnormalities!" Steven laughed.   
Blue frowned at the strange show of emotion, turning to look at the pink human, "what is he?"   
The question was directed at Steven, but Lars stood up, "I'm a human."   
"A... human?" Blue looked at Steven, then at the boy, "you looked nothing alike, nor like the ones in the zoo..."   
"Yeah, well, Steven used some magical gem powers on me to turn me pink, but I'm still human."   
Blue nodded, "he is yours?" she asked Steven.   
"My friends, yes."   
"And the other... gems that were with you?"   
Steven nodded.   
"Then I will sure they are not shattered... as a human does he not requite the same food and water as you?"   
Steven shook his head, "not since I bought him back to life."   
Blue didn't question it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, sorry. Got some important exams next week and trying to find a job for summer so find myself short on time. I know this story is moving slowly. I'm just trying to develop stuff a bit before getting to the exciting part :D


	9. A discussion

Yellow sat in her room, a miserable look on her face as her Pearl tried to entertain the much more important gem with soft songs that had worked in the past.   
"Peal, Silence."   
The order was sudden and obeyed immediately.   
Why the order was given became apparent when Pearl felt tears fill her eyes, the door opening, a miserable looking Blue popping in.   
"Am I interrupting anything?"   
"If I say yet you will mumble an apology and enter anyway so why bother?"   
"Sorry," Blue mumbled, stepping in, "how are you doing?"   
Yellow glared at the floor, "I took charge of Pink's upbringing more than anyone, yet now, I am the only banned from having anything to do with this."   
Blue frowned, she wanted to argue because she had also had a big part in Pink's upbringing, but even she knew Yellow had been around for longer, taken the smaller Diamond to her colonies, showed her the ropes, "I'm sorry, I disagree with white..."   
"I know you do, but she's in charge, she's in charge of everything, even that she doens't know anything about."   
"I disagree with her about not letting you have a say but... I do agree Steven... the human... is in it's own way... Pink."   
"I don't."   
"I know, I know but... the tests-"  
"Are mistaken."   
"Or not, the kid... supposing the tests are wrong, he is nothing like the Rose Quartz that supposedly shattered Pink so... maybe?"   
"Hope is only a gateway to further pain... your of all people should avoid it at all costs."   
"I'm sorry..." they both whipped tears away, "please, just give the kid a chance."   
"Kid?"   
"It's... human.... Agate been telling me."   
"I hate that gem, she is so stuck up and... ugh, just-"   
"I know, but she takes good care of the human zoo."   
"No, even I'll admit those useless Earth Amethysts are the one doing the work there, she just wonders around acting like she knows more than she actually does."   
"Maybe..."   
"Definitely." 

Steven was coughing, the blanket pulled over himself, he was shivering just slightly, a couple of tears falling from his face.   
Topaz frowned from her spot at guard, watching from the corner of her eyes, "are you sure-?"  
"I'm fine," the kid mumbled, cuddling one of the gifts from Blue, "I promise..." 

Lion, was beginning to worry, sniffing at the empty bed with a sad look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh... sorry? I got a busy summer job that I'm nearly finished xD   
> Also, this fic has become an alternative timeline due to how the show advanced but oh well, I'll do what I can to adapt my own mental version of white to the new one though xD


End file.
